Laura is the only character in the play who seems content with herself and doesn't place her burdens upon others. Not only is she physically crippled, but also emotionally. No matter what she is faced with she continually puts her own feeling aside to ease the stress off of her brother Tom and her mother Amanda. Her character's selflessness is shown when she sacrifices her own happiness for her family's sake because she just wants to live in a loving home without conflict.
Laura has faced struggle ever since she was young because of her crippling physical condition. She was never the popular girl with tons of friends that all the boys drooled over or the nerd that excelled in academics. Even at home she seemed to be transparent to her family, as if they didn't even acknowledge her existence. However, this didn't slow Laura down one bit because she is an optimist and tries to make the best out of every situation she is given. Laura is unique. She demonstrates this trait through her glass menagerie, especially her unicorn. Laura's glass menagerie symbolizes her own character because it is delicate and fragile like Laura's physical condition. It also is somewhat like Laura because it stays on a shelf and isn't paid much attention to except when she takes the initiative herself. Her glass menagerie is the only thing that Laura can really call her own because everything else is already decided for her by what her mother wants. Laura has to secretly stop going to school because if her mother knew she would force Laura to continue going. Amanda is trying to relive her youth through Laura by making her do exactly what she thinks is the best for her.
During the play, Laura finds out that the man Tom brought to dinner is actually her high-school crush. Unlike her usual exotic attitude, Laura becomes extremely shy when Jim enters her home. Butterflies fill her stomach but Laura still somehow manages to pull herself together and enjoy the evening with Jim. He eventually remembers who she is and recalls the nickname he gave her in high-school, "blue rose". Laura is elated that he remembered her and is starting to open up to Jim by showing him her glass collection. He breaks the horn off the unicorn making it look just like the rest. Jim tries to make Laura feel good about herself and comfortable in her own skin by comparing her to the unicorn saying that she was different, but shouldn't feel like she sticks out. The evening is a success and Laura can't believe how well things are going, until Jim admits to having another woman that he is in love with. Laura feels sad that she wasn't the one for Jim, but her character isn't one that will let something like this bring her down.
The Glass Menagerie
The Glass Menagerie is an appropriate title for this play because it has an extremely direct literal meaning, and a deep literary meaning. It explains one of the main pieces in the play, and relates to one of the main characters, Laura.
The literal meaning of the title is that the book includes a glass menagerie as being an important piece throughout the play. Laura is attached to her collection on an emotional level that is hard for most people to understand. She spent most of her time around her glass collection, almost as if it were a friend she had.
The other meaning behind the title could be how Laura acts around the glass menagerie or how she feels when talking about it or showing others. More specifically is her unicorn, which symbolizes Laura because it is different like her. As she shows Jim her collection, he accidentally breaks the horn off of her unicorn and states that she should make a change like that also and forget about looking different and just be herself on the inside.
Character Sketch
Laura Wingfield
Laura is the only character in the play who seems content with herself and doesn't place her burdens upon others. Not only is she physically crippled, but also emotionally. No matter what she is faced with she continually puts her own feeling aside to ease the stress off of her brother Tom and her mother Amanda. Her character's selflessness is shown when she sacrifices her own happiness for her family's sake because she just wants to live in a loving home without conflict.
Laura has faced struggle ever since she was young because of her crippling physical condition. She was never the popular girl with tons of friends that all the boys drooled over or the nerd that excelled in academics. Even at home she seemed to be transparent to her family, as if they didn't even acknowledge her existence. However, this didn't slow Laura down one bit because she is an optimist and tries to make the best out of every situation she is given. Laura is unique. She demonstrates this trait through her glass menagerie, especially her unicorn. Laura's glass menagerie symbolizes her own character because it is delicate and fragile like Laura's physical condition. It also is somewhat like Laura because it stays on a shelf and isn't paid much attention to except when she takes the initiative herself. Her glass menagerie is the only thing that Laura can really call her own because everything else is already decided for her by what her mother wants. Laura has to secretly stop going to school because if her mother knew she would force Laura to continue going. Amanda is trying to relive her youth through Laura by making her do exactly what she thinks is the best for her.
During the play, Laura finds out that the man Tom brought to dinner is actually her high-school crush. Unlike her usual exotic attitude, Laura becomes extremely shy when Jim enters her home. Butterflies fill her stomach but Laura still somehow manages to pull herself together and enjoy the evening with Jim. He eventually remembers who she is and recalls the nickname he gave her in high-school, "blue rose". Laura is elated that he remembered her and is starting to open up to Jim by showing him her glass collection. He breaks the horn off the unicorn making it look just like the rest. Jim tries to make Laura feel good about herself and comfortable in her own skin by comparing her to the unicorn saying that she was different, but shouldn't feel like she sticks out. The evening is a success and Laura can't believe how well things are going, until Jim admits to having another woman that he is in love with. Laura feels sad that she wasn't the one for Jim, but her character isn't one that will let something like this bring her down.
The Glass Menagerie
The Glass Menagerie is an appropriate title for this play because it has an extremely direct literal meaning, and a deep literary meaning. It explains one of the main pieces in the play, and relates to one of the main characters, Laura.
The literal meaning of the title is that the book includes a glass menagerie as being an important piece throughout the play. Laura is attached to her collection on an emotional level that is hard for most people to understand. She spent most of her time around her glass collection, almost as if it were a friend she had.
The other meaning behind the title could be how Laura acts around the glass menagerie or how she feels when talking about it or showing others. More specifically is her unicorn, which symbolizes Laura because it is different like her. As she shows Jim her collection, he accidentally breaks the horn off of her unicorn and states that she should make a change like that also and forget about looking different and just be herself on the inside.